The ability to improvise has the New York Mets in position to clinch their three-game series with the host Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.
The Mets (79-65) took the opener on Monday in a resourceful 3-2 victory that enabled them to move one game ahead of the Atlanta Braves for the third and final National League wild-card spot.
New York has won 10 of 11 games but needed to score the tying run on a wild pitch and the go-ahead run on a passed ball in a two-run eighth. It was another late-game meltdown for the Blue Jays (68-77), who have lost six of their past seven.
The Mets are scheduled to start David Peterson (9-1, 2.75 ERA) on Tuesday. The left-hander is coming off a 7-2 home win against the Boston Red Sox on Sept. 3, when he allowed one run in six innings and struck out a career-best 11. He lost his lone career start against Toronto when he allowed two runs in five innings on Sept. 13, 2020.
Toronto is scheduled to start former Mets right-hander Chris Bassitt (9-13, 4.30 ERA). Bassitt’s turn in the rotation would have been Monday, but the Blue Jays decided to give the rotation an extra day, going with a bullpen game on Monday. Opener Ryan Burr pitched two scoreless innings.
In his most recent outing, Bassitt yielded four runs (three earned) on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings during a no-decision against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 3.
Bassitt has pitched once against the Mets, shutting them out on four hits over 7 2/3 innings at New York during a 3-0 win June 2, 2023.
The first improvisation for the Mets on Monday night came when right-hander Paul Blackburn (sore lower back) could not start as scheduled, a development that could have implications during the stretch run.
Blackburn had been on the injured list due to a right hand contusion, but he experienced lower-back pain after his rehabilitation start on Sept. 3 with Triple-A Syracuse. The discomfort remained, which puts his status in doubt for his next start.
“I’ve never had a back issue,” Blackburn said before the Monday game. “I’ve never felt anything like this.”
Tylor Megill made the start instead and allowed no runs, one hit and two walks in six innings. He struck out nine, tying his season high.
“He stepped up and gave us what we needed,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
The improvisation continued in the eighth when the Mets scored twice using two walks, an infield hit, a throwing error, a wild pitch and a passed ball.
Pinch runner Eddy Alvarez, in his Mets debut, made a good read to score the go-ahead run on Brian Serven’s passed ball.
“Some aggressive baserunning,” Mendoza said. “I thought we had some really good leads and good jumps, especially Alvarez on the go-ahead run.”
The infielder was acquired Monday from the Boston Red Sox’s organization, and he appeared in his first major league game since 2022. Infielder Pablo Reyes was designated for assignment.
Mendoza said of the new arrival, “A lot of guys are going to walk through those doors and they’re going to contribute.”
Toronto manager John Schneider was disappointed with the late-game woes.
“We didn’t help ourselves there,” he said. “We talked about it yesterday, today, you’re playing teams like this that are fighting for every single thing, you’ve got to play clean. That’s two nights in a row we did not.”
Sloppy defense contributed to Toronto’s 4-3, 11-inning loss at Atlanta on Sunday.
The Blue Jays hope they will have one of their regulars back in about a week. Shortstop Bo Bichette (calf strain) is scheduled to begin a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday.
–Field Level Media